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NFL Combine Coverage Includes Online and Social Media

February 19, 2013 by

combine

Diehard NFL fans know that it is never too early to start tracking college players prior to the draft, it really starts the day after each year’s draft and then slowly at first and then with rising urgency becomes a very important factor in fans’ lives as they hope their team fills the gaping hole that hindered its advance last season.

Well the NFL.com and NFL Network are a great source of information and their annual coverage of the scouting combines will start on Feb. 23 at 9:00 am ET with the start of the combined drills. The two will have a total of 24 analysts and commentators anchored by Rich Eisen.

While most fans are probably pretty used to catching a good deal of the combine via television coverage there is a good deal of information that is available online only or via social media, from fan participation polls to an extensive database of prospects.

Here are a few of the programs: Cover it Live: this includes polls, the ability to interact with other fans and see player interviews and video highlights and also provides leads to interesting Twitter pages. The NFL Fan Pass: this provides unique interviews, photos and videos with prospects via the NFL.Com and NFL insider position as the official NFL digital media provider.

The NFL.com’s Combine Tracker gives statistics and results from the drills and skill tests while the Prospects’ Database includes the scouting reports and statistics as well as profiles for every participant of the combine.

The NFL Network will be using 17 cameras at the event and have a range of technologies designed to enhance the viewing experience including its NFLN-Focus Camera Technology that allows a moving target to not only stay in frames longer but also in greater detail. The Simulcam Camera Technology allows the comparison of different athletes’ styles when participating in the same drill such as the 40-yard dash.

Something that might be of key interest to fans is the “Draft Journey” program that will follow four prospects as they prepare for an NFL career. They four are Matt Barkley from USC, Geno Smith from West Virginia, Marcus Lattimore from South Carolina and LSU’s Barkevious Mingo. The profiles and behind the scene coverage will continue on these four until the NFL draft in April.

The network will start with pre-combine coverage on Feb. 21 with Path to the Draft:2013 NFL Scouting Combine Press Conferences. All of this will take place at Lucas Oil Field.

Filed Under: NFL Network Tagged With: ,

Super Bowl Gets Wi-Fi Network, Will be Checking for Rogue Hotspots

February 1, 2013 by

There’s a new Wi-Fi network in the Superdome, and they will be checking you at the door to make sure you’re not screwing it up with a rogue hotspot or a camera that is broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal.

You can read an excellent article at Ars Technica, which breaks down the new Verizon-Cisco network inside the stadium. Verizon is quietly getting more involved in stadium networks, but is not publicizing their deployments — maybe because they don’t want everyone asking for the sweetheart deals Verizon may be giving NFL stadiums? Remember, Verizon and the NFL have an agreement over mobile coming up for re-negotiation soon… maybe Verizon is trying to win favor with Rog and the boys by putting in Wi-Fi for free? Stay tuned or tell us what you hear… the Wi-Fi whisperer is listening.

Filed Under: AT&T, Cisco, NFL, NFL Mobile, Super Bowl, Wi-Fi Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

NFL has Major Digital Push on for Super Bowl

January 28, 2013 by

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In the past it has seemed that MLB has had a lead on the NFL when it came to using alternative delivery mechanisms such as the Internet but the NFL has a huge bradth and depth of offering leading up to this weekend’s game

You can start with two areas that the average fan s probably well acquainted- The NFL.Com and Superbowl.com web sites that will provide the expected analysis, human interest stories and more prior to and during the game. Included will be live streaming of player and coach interviews all week long in a program called NFL.com Live: Superbowl XLVII that will be available on both sites.

Two additional live streaming events will be the annual NFL Commissioner Super Bowl press conference, and probably of more interest to the average fan, the unveiling of the 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class, something that is always good for some dispute among fans.

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Mobile Users have Plenty of Options
For the mobile user there is also a set of options available from NFL Digital Media if they want to stay connected leading up to the game, as well as features that will help fans that are in New Orleans for the game or just to experience the Super Bowl atmosphere. For Verizon subscribers they can also watch the game on their phone.

A user can download the Super Bowl XLVII Digital Program on both Android and iOS run devices that feature the official game program in all of its 264 page glory and features the scouting reports, player and coach features and other information that will be found in the program that is available at the game.

The NFL’12 app is also available for free download for Android and iOS devices. This free app provides all of the data and stats from the past season as well as live scores and stats from the game. A user can purchase the optional Audio Pass that will enable them to listen to the game on their mobile device.

For a guide to official Super Bowl events as well as a handy tourist guide to New Orleans night life, restaurants and other sights there is the Super Bowl XLVII Mobile Guide, presented by Verizon. It includes the ability to get push notifications for events.

fan pass

Then for the fan that needs to be in touch constantly here is the NFL Fan Pass, which launches this morning. This will provide actual access to the players enabling fans to post question and it will host a also host a Google+ Hangout on Media Day connecting fans with their favorite players and NFL reporters. It will also feature exclusive interviews and videos of not only players but also celebrities that will be attending the game.

There are a host of other features that the NFL will be delivering, from game rewind that will show following the conclusion of the game. You can follow events of twitter at @superbowl and there will also be a range of podcasts available during the week.

It really looks like the NFL is covering all of its digital bases, if I can mix metaphors, and is really reaching out to fans in a solid, proactive way so that if you miss all of the action on Sunday the blame will sit on you.

Filed Under: Android, Apple, Apps, iOS 6, iPad, Live sports via mobile, Live Sports Video Consumption, NFL, NFL Mobile, Super Bowl, Tablets, Verizon Wireless Tagged With: , ,

NFL.com adds Exclusive ‘Fan Pass’ Content for Super Bowl

January 22, 2013 by

In case you can’t get enough Super Bowl info from your regular media outlets the National Football League is providing some new content and Super Bowl event interactivity via something it is calling the NFL Fan Pass, available at NFL.com/fanpass.

In addition to daily “exclusive” interviews, video segments and photos, the NFL says Fan Pass will let fans submit questions to celebs and players and it will also be the hosting place for a Google+ Hangout on media day. Given the oversaturation of media covering the Super Bowl, we’re not sure how “exclusive” NFL material will be. But given the league network’s generally high quality of analysts and production, it will likely be at least the equal of anything from anyone else so — why not add it to your Super consumption schedule, especially if you are bored at work with a decent Internet connection.

Like we said, if you can’t get enough from your regular media outlets, the NFL is making sure you have… more. In addition to Fan Pass, if you bookmark the NFL.com and SuperBowl.com sites you will find a wealth of live streaming run-up events, including live video from Radio Row, live coverage of commissioner Roger Goodell’s Super Bowl press conference and the Hall of Fame class announcement.

To answer the one question everyone will have: The GAME ITSELF starts on Feb. 3, at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, with TV coverage from CBS.

Filed Under: NFL, Super Bowl Tagged With: , , , , ,

CBS Plans Big Online Blitz for Super Bowl: Watch Online, Mobile, and oh yeah… on TV

January 20, 2013 by

With the Harbaugh Bowl lineup now set, NFL fans will be glad to know that CBS is planning to stream this year’s Super Bowl live online, for free, at this website, with apparently no requirement to download any software like last year’s broadcast.

The Feb. 3 game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, with lots of stuff beforehand. You can also “like” the CBS Sports Facebook page, or follow CBS Sports on Twitter, just in case you’re not getting enough pre-Super Bowl info.

What we really like, though, is the simple instructions for online viewing — “Bookmark this page to access the live stream on Super Bowl Sunday,” reads the CBS page. That’s a lot easier than last year’s online broadcast by NBC, which required viewers to download the Microsoft Silverlight plugin. Not good. Let’s also hope that they will sync the broadcasts this year, unlike last year when the online show was 3 to 4 plays behind the live TV, making it useless as a “second screen” app.

According to tweets we have seen from CBS execs, as well as this press release written up by Engadget, there are apparently going to be a lot of bells and whistles available online, even perhaps a fan-selected camera view. CBS’s Jason Kint was apparently beta testing the app during Sunday’s games:

Our only quibble is that CBS Sports won’t exactly show the game live on your cell phone — to have it stream via a cell phone or pad you need to have a Verizon contract and you need to download the NFL Mobile app, which costs $5 per month. No word yet whether or not you will be able to watch via the CBS web page via a mobile phone or tablet browser, but we will discount double-check that option so stay tuned.

Filed Under: CBS Sports, NFL, NFL Mobile, Super Bowl Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Enterasys Video on Wi-Fi at Gilette Stadium

January 18, 2013 by

This video would be a lot more impressive if they actually showed things working… instead of the 1970s tech-TV shots of colored cables. Just goes to show you… wireless networking is a hard thing to video.

Filed Under: NFL, Wi-Fi Tagged With: , , ,
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